The Rebel's Secret
by Csillan.Rose
Summary: AU Before the events of ANH, Emperor Vader discovers the identity of his son. He attempts to capture Luke, but Luke escapes and joins the Alliance, not telling them of his heritage.
1. Chapter 1

(A/N: Hello everyone! To those of you who have never read any of my stories, my name is Hilary ((aka, sunset.rising)) I've written many stories on here, half of which are finished. In an attempt to save my fanfics, I've decided I need inspiration. I need to finish another one. That's where this fic comes in... I have high hopes for it, and have really enjoyed writing it so far. I have nine pages at the present, and I hope to stay ahead of the next chapter, so that I'll always have updates. I'm really, REALLY excited about this one... though the first chapter is kinda boring... The next one's better, I think. So please review and enjoy!)

_**IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTANDING THE STORY: **This story is AU... Instead of Anakin being burned in Ep III, he was stabbed. It should have been a mortal wound, and Obi-Wan thought he was dead. The Emperor saved him and no respiration mask or suit was needed. He still looks normal. In time, he grew weary of Sidious and assassinated him, taking his place as Emperor. This story begins 2 years later..._

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**Chapter One:**

Luke Skywalker leaned back on his cot, staring disinterestedly at the ceiling. It was an extremely hot day—even for Tatooine—and it was slightly cooler inside. He was lying low, hoping that Uncle Owen wouldn't find him and drag him back outside to work. After all, he deserved a break, right? It wasn't like the droids couldn't handle working the moisture vaporators by themselves.

Luke closed his eyes, allowing his thoughts to wander. If his father were still alive, he wouldn't have been landed on a boring old moisture farm. If his father were alive, he would probably be flying through the stars and visiting strange and distant planets. Sure, his father was only a navigator on a spice freighter, but even _that_ was better than _this_.

"Luke! Luke, are you in here? Your uncle is looking for you."

Luke winced. "Coming Aunt Beru! I was just resting for a moment." He ducked out of his room and flashed his aunt an embarrassed glance. Aunt Beru just smiled and shook her head.

"Don't get him too angry today, Luke. You know he's just worried about that malfunctioning droid. He's probably going to send you into town to get a new one, soon."

"Yeah, I know." Luke grimaced. "Considering today has been one of the hottest days in the Tatooine records, he'll most likely send me today." He paused, and then groaned at the memory, "And I'm probably going to have to walk, considering I still have to do repairs on that landspeeder."

Beru just shook her head in amusement. "Maybe next time you won't shirk your chores."

Luke gave her a quick, agonized grin, and then hurried outside.

"Uncle Owen?" Luke called out hesitantly. "Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru said that you needed me?"

"Over here Luke!" The older man's voice shouted, sounding slightly irritated. Luke hurried over to where his uncle was attempting to repair a droid, steeling himself. "Where _were_ you?" Owen demanded the minute that Luke reached him. "I told you to watch this damn droid, and the moment I turn my back you disappear somewhere!"

Luke bit his lip lightly and decided not to say anything. He waited patiently for his uncle to tell him what he needed him to do.

Owen glared up at his nephew for a moment, then sighed and instructed him, "I need you to run to the repair shop and get some parts for this stupid hunk of metal. Don't bother going to the usual shop," he added sourly, "This one's old, and the parts are harder to find. You'll need to go to the main shop over in Mos Eisley." _The expensive shop._ Owen didn't add the last part, but Luke knew that's what his uncle was thinking.

Luke sighed, "Do I _have_ to go _today_?"

"_Yes_ you have to go today!" Owen snapped. "It's _your_ fault the blasted droid isn't working in the first place, and I can't afford to be one droid short at the moment!" Luke hung his head a little. He had tried tinkering with the droid so that it would work faster and more efficiently, but the prototype he had tried to install into its system hadn't been compatible with the droid's old main core. It had ended up overheating, and melting down a few of its main functioning parts. The parts that Luke now needed to travel all of the way to Mos Eisley to buy. "Well, boy?" Uncle Owen demanded, and Luke realized he'd been standing there for a little while. "Get moving!"

Luke was about to complain that he had to walk all of the way there, but realized that would only aggravate his uncle more. He hadn't told Uncle Owen that he'd busted the side of his speeder on the canyon wall yet, and he didn't plan to.

After collecting roughly the proper amount of money from his aunt, (though probably more, just in case) Luke began the long trudge to Mos Eisley.

oooooooooo

A standard hour later, Luke was tired, thirsty, and had a headache. It would probably take him another half-standard hour to get to his destination. Grumpy and immersed in his own thoughts, he didn't realize that he was no longer alone until his companion spoke up.

"Not exactly the perfect day for a walk, is it?"

Luke nearly jumped out of his skin, and then gave his companion a wary smile. "You're old Ben Kenobi, aren't you?"

"Yes, you should recognize me." Old Ben's eyes glinted in amusement. "I believe it was you and your friend Biggs who decided to sneak out and play 'scare' in the middle of the night over by my place. I think, in the game, you were trying to see who could get the closest to my house without chickening out?"

Luke felt a warm blush creep over his face. "Uhh…w-well…we didn't—"

"Kept me up all night with your antics."

"I'm sorry, we didn't actually mean to—"

Old Ben waved his comment aside. He was smiling now. The two continued on in silence for a while, Luke casting uneasy glances at the older man every few moments.

After a bit, Ben looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong? Because you keep giving me looks as if I'm about to burst into flame at any given moment."

"C-Can you _do_ that?" Luke's voice almost squeaked, and he cleared his throat.

"No, of course not. Completely ridiculous."

"Uh…um, well, Biggs always said that you were some kind of…uhh…some kind of sorcerer, and that's why the Sandpeople always left you alone." Luke blushed again, and Ben looked as if he were trying very hard not to laugh.

"Oh, is _that_ all? Well then, allow me to ease your fears. No, I'm not a sorcerer. I was, very long ago, a Jedi Knight…but then, that's completely different."

Luke stopped in his tracks, staring at the old hermit. Ben Kenobi continued on for a few paces, then stopped as well and turned to look at him with an inquiring air.

"_You_ were a Jedi Knight? Did you fight in the Clone Wars?" Luke asked excitedly. "Do you have a laser-sword? Tank told me that the Jedi could do all kinds of—"

Ben raised his hand, his eyes laughing again. "Yes, I fought in the Clone Wars. General Obi-Wan Kenobi…or, The Negotiator, as I was known as back then." His features became distant, as if remembering something from long ago. Then, abruptly, he came back to reality and gave Luke a smile. "Your father was known as The Hero with No Fear. The order never had a better swordsman." Old Ben sighed, and then continued walking.

Luke blinked once, blinked again. Several moments went past as he digested everything that the former Jedi had said. Then, in a flurry of adrenaline, he dashed forward to catch up with the older man. "But my father wasn't a Jedi!" he protested, "He was a navigator on—"

"Is _that_ what your uncle told you? Rather dull imagination on that man. Yes, Luke, your father was a Jedi. A great man and a dear friend." Sorrow creased Kenobi's face, and Luke actually hesitated a moment before asking a question that he'd wanted to know all of his life.

"How did my father die?"

Ben stopped to look at him again. There was definitely pain in the older man's eyes now. There was a moment of silence before the former Jedi turned away and said quietly, "A Sith named Darth Vader betrayed and murdered him."

There was a pause. "Vader…why does that name sound so familiar?" Luke's forehead creased in thought. "Vader… Vader…" Ben sighed as he watched the realization hit the boy. "Vader—that's the name of the new Emperor! It's not the same person…" Just a glance at Ben's face was enough for Luke to discern the truth. "The _Emperor_ killed my father?"

The older man stopped Luke, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I can feel your anger, Luke. It taints you. Let it _go_… only then will you be free of it."

Luke jerked away from the man's grasp, chewing his lip. "But he _killed_ my _father_, Ben! _He's_ the reason I grew up on a stupid moisture farm! _He's_ the reason I never knew my family!" Luke suddenly realized something. "What happened to my mother?"

Old Ben sighed. "She died in childbirth."

"But that can't be right!" Luke pressed, a slight whine creeping into his voice now. "With all of the technology, it's practically impossible to—"

"Your mother no longer possessed the will to live, Luke." Ben told him gently. "There is not much that all of the technology in the galaxy can do when that happens."

For a while there was nothing but the sound of the hissing sand kicked up by their progress. Then, softly, Luke muttered, "How would _you_ know, anyway." It wasn't a question, and wasn't meant to be heard.

More sand whirled around their feet.

"To my sorrow, I was there."

Luke's eyes widened in astonishment. "You were with my mother when she…when she…"

"Since your father was… no longer available, I took your mother to Polis Massa, where she gave birth to you an—" there was an intake of breath, before he quickly remedied, "to you. But there now, my tongue has run away with me."

"But I wanted to know—" Luke began to whine, but Ben wearily cut him off yet again.

"I'm old, Luke, and the heat is getting to me. Give me a moment to rest."

Luke's head spun. His aunt and uncle had _lied_ to him! He was sure they'd known the truth… so why hadn't they told him? For a moment Luke considered that Kenobi was lying to him, and then brushed it off. His words rang with too much truth, and he'd known that his aunt and uncle's story always seemed a little bit fishy. They'd never even _mentioned _his mother. To think, all of this time a man who'd actually _known_ his mother and father had lived just a short speeder ride away! "What were their names?"

"Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Nabierre Amidala."

Old Ben was really sounding tired now, and Luke hated to press him, but he just couldn't stop asking questions. "So you were the one who brought me to Tatooine, then?"

"Yes."

Luke's thoughts were momentarily sidetracked as they passed the rise of the next dune. Finally, _finally_, they had reached Mos Eisley. A grin broke out over Luke's face as he hurried down the dune to the somewhat questionable city.

Ben smiled after him, hoping he hadn't said too much. Still, the boy deserved to know about his heritage… at least, most of it... and this was likely one of the only chances he'd get.

oooooooooo

Emperor Vader strode down the docking ramp of his ship, his long cape billowing out behind him. Admiral Ozzel hesitated at the top of the ramp, watching the leader of the Empire anxiously. Finally, as if coming to a decision, he swallowed hard and hurried after him.

"Emperor Vader, Your Highness, are you sure it's a good idea to go get the parts for the ship by yourself? Mos Eisley is not exactly…the most _secure_ place, and the crew is worried about your safety."

"I can take care of myself, Admiral." Vader did not turn to look at him, but his voice held an ominous threat.

Ozzel fidgeted as the Emperor continued on his way. "But Your Majesty…" he chanced again, taking a deep breath, "Is there any need to jeopardize your safety like this? If you must go, at least take a few men with you."

Sweat trickled down Ozzel's forehead as Vader slowly clenched his fists, turning to look at him. "I do _not_ want to attract attention, Admiral. I will be fine on my own. I have reasons for going that I need not divulge to _you_. Do you understand?" The tone of the Emperor's voice dared him to argue further. Ozzel gulped, and then backed down.

"Of course, Your Highness. I'm sorry, Your Highness."

Lord Vader stared at him for another moment, his hard blue eyes considering the man. "This is your last warning, Admiral."

Ozzel stiffened, and then bowed as low as he could. "Yes, my Lord." But Vader wasn't listening. He had already continued on. Admiral Ozzel watched him pull the hood over his head, casting his face into shadows. Finally, the leader of the Empire disappeared into the crowded area beyond the docking station.

"He's gone, then?" Another voice asked from behind him. Ozzel turned to see Captain Piett, who was scanning the crowd with a troubled look on his face.

"He insisted on going without a guard. There was nothing I could do." Ozzel wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Piett watched him, now appearing amused.

"I'm sure there wasn't. Once His Majesty decides to do something, there aren't many people—if any at all—who can talk him out of it. Besides, I'm sure his Lordship has his reasons."

"That's what _he_ said." Ozzel informed Piett, "But that won't stop him from punishing _me_ if he gets injured."

Piett gave him a look that might pass as slightly sympathetic. "That's what we risk, being this high up. You'd just better hope that Grand Moff Tarkin doesn't find out about it. Otherwise, you're out of luck… and out of a job. He'll think you're slacking off, even if you _were_ under orders. As for the Emperor himself…" Piett smiled, "I doubt that he's in any danger. I'd be more worried for anyone who tries to jump him."

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(A/N: Please review and tell me what you think so far! Constructive critisism accepted, but please no flames. I find them rather boring and useless.)

Hilary


	2. Chapter 2

(A/N: Thank you so much for all of the reviews! If I keep on schedule, my next update should be on Friday. Thank you for all of the support, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter:)

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

**Chapter Two**

Luke entered Mos Eisley warily. He'd never been here himself, before, but he'd heard stories from his friend Biggs… and none of them were good. The people in the streets were the dubious sort that you'd usually see lurking in the shadows of an ill-reputed cantina.

Luke shuddered and looked over his shoulder. Old Ben was still with him, ambling along behind him. He appeared lost in thought.

Still, Luke was glad to have someone with him. Even if Ben _was_ old, at least he wasn't alone. Luke was carrying a lot of money, and was sure to be a magnet for all kinds of scum. It didn't help that he had the whole innocent-farmboy look going on, either.

"Ben? Why were you heading to Mos Eisley?" Luke suddenly asked.

"I was heading here to stock up my cupboards."

Luke doubted that. "Then why didn't you just go to one of the smaller… less disruptive towns?"

"I find that the people here are more…interesting to watch."

Something in Ben's voice suggested that they weren't a very _good_ sort of interesting. Still, even if his excuse _was_ true, it was still an odd coincidence that he and Luke had ended up running into each other. It was a big desert, after all. Luke decided not to press the subject, in the end. He had the feeling that he could trust old Ben, even if he was kind of odd. After all, he'd known Luke's family.

"Could you come with me to the mechanic store?" he asked Ben hopefully. "It's my first time in Mos Eisley, and I'm not really sure… I mean, I don't—"

"Of course I'll come with you." Ben reassured him. "Mos Eisley can be a bit overwhelming at first. You know where the shop is?"

Luke nodded. "My uncle showed me the layout a few weeks ago, just in case something like this happened. He thought he would come with me the first time but," he shrugged, "I guess he was too busy."

It was about at that time that Luke realized they were being followed. A sickly looking Rodian with a twitching eye was close on their trail. Even Luke could tell he was up to no good—it looked like the creature had overdosed on spice, and then washed it down with about a gallon of whiskey.

Luke tried not to look at him, hoping it was only a by chance that it was following them. As the Rodian continually got closer, however, he became more uneasy. He was just about to mention something to Ben when the older man turned and looked the Rodian straight in the eye.

"You do not want to rob us."

The Rodian blinked. "I… do not want to rob you."

"You want to go to a medic and get help for your addiction."

"I want to go to a medic and get help for my addiction." With that, the creature turned and scurried off. Ben turned back and kept walking, a small smile now on his face. Luke stared in awe after him, and then ran to catch up.

"How… how did you _do_ that? That was amazing!" He exclaimed.

"It's called Force Suggestion. I used the Force to bend his mind slightly, offering an alternative idea to the one he already had."

"Wow… could my father do that?" Luke inquired curiously.

"Yes, any force sensitive has at least some ability to do it. You could do it, if you were taught how."

Luke's eyes went wide. "_I_ could do something like that? Does that mean I have this… Force thing you keep talking about?"

"Indeed. You inherited it from your father. There are many things you are capable of that you don't know, Luke. Very many."

Luke was silent for a little while after that, thinking. "Why didn't Uncle Owen tell me about any of this?" He questioned at last.

"Your uncle… does not approve of this. He was never really comfortable with the Jedi ways, and after your father's…death, he turned against them completely. He thinks that it would be too dangerous for you to follow in your father's footsteps, and that you're safer with him at the farm. He's right, of course. Ah, here we are."

Luke looked up. They had reached the mechanic shop. "Thanks, Ben, I appreciate you coming with me. This should only take a second—then we can get your food." He started towards the door, and then stopped when he saw that the other man wasn't following. "Ben? Are you coming?"

Old Ben looked distant again, but this time there was a frown etched onto his face. "Of course, of course… you go on in. I'll be there in just a moment…"

Luke opened his mouth to protest, but the older man had already started off. He sighed, and then trudged into the mechanic shop.

oooooooooo

Emperor Vader paused halfway down the street he was on, frowning. There was something wrong—he could feel it. The Force was tingling, as if …as if another force-sensitive were close. But that couldn't be right, he'd had them all eliminated. All except…

Vader stopped breathing for a second. His old master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. It had to be… he'd searched everywhere for the man, but hadn't thought he was stupid enough to return to Vader's own planet of birth! He glanced around the street, trying to find where the disturbance was coming from. Undoubtedly Kenobi had also sensed his presence by now, and would try to run.

Well, he wouldn't get away this time. Vader would make sure of _that_.

oooooooooo

"Listen, buddy, I'm only short one or two coins, couldn't you cut me a break?" Luke watched the grungy-looking man with interest as he attempted to haggle with the shop-keeper. He was out of luck, though, Luke noted…the keeper was a Toydarian.

"Either you have thee money or you don'ta." The shop manager replied in a hoarse, irritated voice. "No money…no upgrades."

"But you're the only guy in town that still _sells_ this stuff…If my best buddy were here with me, you'd rethink this."

_Probably not_, Luke reflected amusedly, _Even if his friend were a Gamorrean, the only thing that got through to Toydarians was money._

"No, I would nota. Get outta my shopa."

The man scowled, ran a hand through his hair, then turned to walk out. "Hey, wait," Luke stopped him before he could exit. "How much do you need?"

There was a pause as the scruffy man just stared at him as if Luke had just cut his own arm off with a chainsaw. Then, slowly, he replied, "Only two truguts, but—" The man stopped as Luke fished around in his purse and withdrew the correct sum.

After all, Luke reasoned, he had some extra money, and Uncle Owen probably wouldn't even notice. Besides, it looked like the guy really needed it, and the amount wasn't really that much.

"Hey… thanks, kid." The man carefully took the coins and looked at him for a moment. "You from around here?" He asked curiously.

"Well… not right around here. I live on a moisture farm somewhere that way." Luke waved a hand in the general direction of his home.

"Hnh. I can tell. Listen kid, just as a bit of advice for the future, don't go handing out money like it's everybody's birthday. It'll raise too much attention, and soon you'll be outta money. But still, thanks." The man held out his hand. "Han Solo."

Luke took it, "Luke Skywalker."

Han nodded at him, then turned went back to the Toydarian to pay for the upgrades he needed. Luke looked around for Ben, but the older man still wasn't back yet. Luke frowned, wondering what could be keeping him.

When Han got his upgrades and left the shop, Luke stepped up to buy the parts for Uncle Owen's droid.

oooooooooo

Lord Vader entered the mechanic shop, keeping to the shadows. At the moment, there was a young man paying for some droid parts at the front of the small room (if you could call it _that_.) There was no sign of his old master, and yet… Vader could sense his proximity. Kenobi was here, he was sure. The Emperor smiled. He would wait until the boy was done paying, and then he would purchase the needed parts for his ship. After that… he would have his revenge.

As the boy examined his purchases for potential problems, Vader examined the shopkeeper. It was a Toydarian, that he noticed right away. It wasn't the one he remembered from his youth on Tatooine, but this particular shopkeeper looked as though it might be a relative.

He cut off that track of thinking as the young man took the parts and handed over the money, hurrying over to the door. Vader watched with interest as he called out a name that sounded vaguely like "Ben!"

Vader stepped from the shadows as the boy reached the door. He started over to the shopkeeper when suddenly the Toydarian shouted, "SKYWALKER!"

The Emperor froze. First shock, and then anger coursed through him. How did this creature know his former name? And how _dare_ he use it in public? Vader clenched his fists and took another step towards the shopkeeper. He was about to interrogate the Toydarian (or perhaps just force-choke him) when the boy who'd just finished purchasing items poked his head back in the shop.

"Yes sir? Is there something wrong?"

The Toydarian fluttered past the slightly confused figure that had just stepped forward and irritably held out his hand to the boy. "You didn't pay the full amounta, you were one trugut shorta."

The boy's eyes widened. "Oh! Sorry, I must have miscounted." He gave the shopkeeper a sheepish grin and pulled out another coin.

"Make sure it does not happen againa, Skywalker."

The boy nodded, and the Toydarian flapped away. That was the first time Vader got a full look at the boy. He was suddenly hit with two relavations.

The first was that the boy was force sensitive—powerfully so.

The second was…

He stared at the boy for a moment before the young man frowned curiously at him, and then turned and trotted out the door. Slowly, Vader turned back to the shopkeeper, his thoughts still on the boy.

'_He had my eyes…'_

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

(A/N: Please review and tell me what you think! Thank you for reading:D

Hilary


	3. Chapter 3

For Back-in-Time, who reminded me I had fanfiction.

* * *

**Chapter Three:**

"Ben!" Luke ran out of the shop and into the sunlight. He paused for a moment in the doorway, squinting at the crowds of people milling around him. Ben was no where in sight. Luke frowned. He quickly glanced over the people again, just to make sure, and then started off towards his house. He was sure Old Ben was fine—he'd probably just gotten side-tracked and forgotten to come back. He _was_ old, after all. Even though Luke wanted to talk to him and ask him more about his parents, he certainly didn't want to wander around Mos Eisley alone looking for him. Besides, he knew where Old Ben lived. It was just a matter of sneaking off to see him.

Luke made his way down the winding streets, carefully avoiding people and clutching both his purse and his purchase in sweaty hands. He looked carefully at the people, watching for any that appeared to be up to no good. Unfortunately, most of the people in Mos Eisley appeared to be up to no good. A lot of them were busy with other things, however, and barely glanced at him.

Luke cautiously peered over his shoulder a few times. He kept an eye peeled for Ben…he _really_ didn't like being alone. At one point, he thought he saw the same cloaked man behind him more than once. He was sure he was just imagining things, but picked up his pace just in case. A little while later he glimpsed the man again. Luke was starting to get nervous—he thought he remembered that same shadowy figure lurking around in the shop. At the time, he'd thought nothing of it, figuring that the man was considering a purchase.

Now, however, he wasn't so sure. Luke chewed his lip. He was almost to the gates of Mos Eisley, but suddenly he didn't know if he wanted to leave. What if the stranger followed him, and then he was left alone with no one to help him? Even the company he had now—however dubious—presented him with a little bit more safety than if he were alone.

Suddenly Luke got an idea. As much as he hated the Empire, the sandtroopers that kept watch at the gates would probably keep him from being jumped. He could just tell them that someone was following him, and not to let a man in a dark cloak leave the gates after he did. Right?

Luke hurried up to the nearest sandtrooper and tapped him on the shoulder. The trooper ignored him. A small brawl had broken out just before Luke got there, and he was trying to sort out the blame.

"Uh… Sir? I have—"

"Go away kid, we're busy." A second sandtrooper told him with barely a glance. The sandtroopers went back to their business, ignoring Luke's other weak attempts to get their attention.

Luke finally gave up and walked over to the gate and slumped against it, still clutching his belongings. If he didn't leave soon, it would get dark before he managed to get home. Plus, there was always the danger of a sand storm. He didn't want to get caught in the middle of one of _those_. Luke ran his free hand through his hair and sighed, not realizing that the shadowy figure was still watching him from nearby…

oooooooooo

Emperor Vader analyzed the young man from a distance, following him when he left the shop. The more he looked at the boy, the more excited he became. He tried to calm himself—what he thought was completely impossible. Wasn't it? After all, Padmé couldn't of…she died before… He shook off the thought. This was probably just a relative. Still, even if it was, the boy was intriguing.

Vader followed him further through the city. The boy was now glancing back over his shoulder, and Vader suddenly realized that the young Skywalker—whoever he was—had noticed that someone was following him. _Took him long enough, _the Emperor thought, amused. The boy was obviously a touch naive. Vader watched as he tried to get help from the sandtroopers. _Some help that would be_. They hardly even looked at him, though.

Finally, the boy collapsed against the gate walls, defeated. He ran his hand through his hair in a motion that Vader recognized. _I used to do that…_ The young Skywalker looked up, and the Emperor got another good look at his face. It presented him with another shock.

Back in the shop it had been dark, and he hadn't known what to look for. But now that he did, he noticed something that sent an electric thrill through him. _He has Padmé's nose!_ Vader squinted at him through the dust. _Her eyebrows too, but my mouth and chin. _

No. It wasn't possible. It wasn't possible, and yet…He had to find out. He had to confront the boy, find everything out about him that he could, and then perhaps get a sample of DNA.

Vader stepped out of the shadows and moved toward the gate.

oooooooooo

Luke's breath caught in his throat as the cloaked figure advanced on him. He was sure now—the man was following him, and wanted something from him. He looked around quickly, but there was no where to go now. There were too many people to run, and no where close by to hide. So he had no choice but to stand there, sweating, as the man came closer…and closer…

oooooooooo

Obi-Wan pushed through the crowded streets, anxious to return to the shop where he had left Luke. His worst fears had been confirmed—an imperial ship had landed in the nearby docking bay. It wasn't just any ship, either—it was the Executor. Darth Vader's ship. The force signature that he had sensed and hoped was just senility in his old age was actually the emperor. He was here somewhere, in Mos Eisley…and so was the son he didn't know he had.

Obi-Wan finally managed to get to the shop, only to find Luke had gone. He'd asked the shop keeper, who irritably told him the boy had left just a minute or two ago.

Hurrying even more now, Obi-Wan headed toward the gates. The boy had probably decided to return home without him. In all other situations, this would have been a logical idea. Now, however…

Obi-Wan _had_ to find Luke before Vader did. There was no other option.

oooooooooo

Luke backed against the wall as the cloaked man stood before him. He clutched his belongings so hard that his fingers turned white from the tension. Silently, he berated himself. How he must look! It probably wasn't helping that he was cowering against the wall like a four-year-old. The man was probably just encouraged by his display of weakness.

Gathering up all of the courage he possessed, he raised his chin up and looked the man square in the eyes. "What do you want?" To his surprise, his voice didn't quiver or break.

The man looked him over and smiled slightly. "Just some information."

"I don't know much," Luke replied automatically, "Maybe you should ask someone else. I'm just a moisture farmer."

There was a pause. The man seemed amused, as if he was enjoying this immensely. "What if I have a question about moisture vaporators?" He queried.

Luke sniffed slightly. Did this man think he was _that_ much of an idiot? "If you just wanted to know about moisture vaporators, you would have asked the Toydarian back at the shop and not bothered to follow me all of the way across Mos Eisley."

The man's smile grew. "Very well. I don't have a question about moisture vaporators. Who was your father?" The transition was so smooth and the question so nonchalant that it took Luke off guard.

"Why do you want to know? What does it matter to _you_?" They were beginning to draw a little bit of attention. The crowd that had gathered for the brawl now crept over to see if this conversation would lead to another fight. Luke thought he caught sight of one shady looking Trandoshen making bets with an Aqualish.

"Actually it matters a great deal to me. I would hate to have to force information out of you."

Luke swallowed. "H-he was just a n-navigator on a spice freighter. No one important…leave me alone!" He tried to slide to the right, but a quick glance showed him that the crowd was now so thick that there was no chance of escaping. He looked back at the man, who—from what he could see—was frowning.

"You're either lying or not telling everything you know. Tell me who your father was, before I—"

"Hey, leave the kid alone!" Luke felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see the man he had met back in the repair and parts shop. Han Solo, or whatever he had said his name was. Luke went weak-kneed with relief. At least he had someone to back him.

"I can do whatever I wish." The cloaked man hissed furiously. "Get out of my way before I simply kill you."

"Let's see if you want to tell that to my friend." Han replied lazily, apparently used to death threats. He looked over his shoulder and shouted, "Hey, Chewie! Get your furry butt over here and help me out, won't you?"

His answer was an aggravated growl that Luke would interpret as something along the lines of, "What have you gotten us into _this _time?" as a tall, furry creature pushed its way over to Han.

The man in the cloak, far from being intimidated, looked rather bored. "Do you think your Wookie friend will protect you? If you continue this ridiculous activity, I will be forced to dispose of you and enslave your friend. As far as I've heard, Wookies are valuable slaves." The Wookie growled in outrage, but the man continued. "Still, I'm in a surprisingly good mood. Leave now and I won't kill you."

Han crossed his arms and looked at him incredulously. "Who do you think you are, anyway... Emperor Vader?"

The mouth under the hood curled up into a smirk. "And if I am?" He asked softly, menacingly.

Luke's eyes widened, but Han only snorted. "Yeah, sure, and I'm the Crown Prince of Corellia." He turned to Luke, "Kid, get out of here. Chewie'll teach this Hutt-spawn a lesson. Go on, Chewie."

The Wookie had only taken one step toward his target, however, when the man casually waved his hand. The great creature went flying backwards, crashing against the wall. Shouts erupted, and in the next moment blasters were drawn. Blaster shots flew through the air, and Luke saw one of them singe one of Han's sleeves.

But Luke never found out what happened next to Han or his Wookie friend. He ran.

* * *

(A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update! A random review reminded me about my story, and I remembered liking this one. So now I'm going to update it ((hopefully)) frequently. We'll see how this works, but I have a good feeling about it. It was really fun to write :) 

Hilary


	4. Chapter 4

(A/N: Sorry about A) The wait, B) The length. The wait was slightly longer than I thought it would be, and the length slightly shorter. Oh well. The next chapter should be up within the week, and it should be longer than this one. There's a _lot _of ground to cover in the chapter after this, and not only literally! Okay, well, I hope you all enjoy this one!)

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**Chapter Four:**

Obi-Wan reached the gates of Mos Eisley just in time to see Luke dashing through them. There was a brawl nearby, and at once he recognized Vader's force signature. And if he could sense Vader…then Vader could sense him.

Hoping that his old apprentice would be slowed by the brawl, Obi-Wan also headed towards the gates. If he was lucky, he would catch up with Luke and together they would avoid Emperor Vader. If he wasn't… Obi-Wan touched the hilt of his concealed lightsaber as he ran. At least he was prepared.

As he passed the gates and moved out into the expansion of sand, he noticed that Luke was about two-hundred yards in front of him. He tried calling out to the young man, but Luke was either too afraid to answer or hadn't heard him. Obi-Wan propelled himself forward, relying on the force to catch up with Luke. A moment later, he was at the young man's side.

"Why are you running Luke? What happened?" He demanded urgently.

Without even pausing his stride for a moment, Luke responded, "This man…he was following me…wanted information about my father…just barely got away…"

Obi-Wan felt a trickle of dread go down his spine. "What did he look like? What did you tell him?"

"Couldn't tell…had a cloak over his face…only told him my father was a navigator on a spice freighter. He didn't believe me."

"You're still running. Why?" Obi-Wan was glad—he preferred that they continued to run—but he needed to know what happened that had scared Luke this badly. But Luke, instead of explaining, just shook his head and kept running.

The two ran on in silence. Obi-Wan continued to rely on the force to keep up with Luke—he wasn't as young as he'd once been. As he ran, he contemplated what they were going to do next.

oooooooooo

Han wiped the blood from his mouth and knelt next to Chewie. Chewbacca let out a small groan—half out of pain, half out of fury. The strange man that had attacked them had vanished…gone only a few moments after the boy had run. Han hoped the evil bastard didn't catch up with him.

Slowly, Chewie got to his feet, shaking himself out. After a short brawl, the crowd had dispersed when they discovered that the action was pretty much over. Han had been lucky—he'd only gotten a smack across the face with the end of someone's blaster when, outraged, he'd tried to follow the man that had attacked Chewie. Still, he thought angrily, that man better hope they never crossed paths again…

oooooooooo

They reached the Lars's farm in only half the time it had taken Luke to get to Mos Eisley. Luke finally slowed down, panting heavily. He wondered briefly how Old Ben had not only caught up with him, but actually kept pace with him. Luke glanced over, and was surprised to see that the man didn't even appear winded…just worried.

But Luke didn't even have time to ponder the events of the day when his uncle stepped out of their home. "Luke! There you are, what took you so—" He cut off abruptly, and Luke looked up to see Owen staring—no, _glaring_—at Old Ben. Kenobi, however, didn't miss a beat.

"Some unfortunate events have occurred, Owen, and you and your family will have to leave this farm immediately."

Luke stared up at Ben's grave face, stunned. "W-what? Leave?! But I didn't tell the man where I lived! He won't know."

"Oh, he knows." Old Ben frowned, and then locked gazes with Owen. His features softened at Luke's uncle's confused and angry face. "I'm sorry about this turn of events, Owen. You knew the risks when you took him in, and I fear that the worst has happened. Emperor Vader has come to Tatooine, and ran into Luke in Mos Eisley. I don't know where he is now, or what he his planning, but we _must_ get Luke off of Tatooine. Immediately."

There was a moment of silence, and then Owen muttered through gritted teeth, "Take the boy. I'll go warn Beru."

"Don't take long, Owen…If the emperor catches you here, he will _not_ hesitate to kill you…especially if he might get the information he is searching for out of you." Old Ben turned away from Owen Lars's accusing eyes and looked down at Luke. "Go inside and grab some of your things…pack light, and hurry. We'll have to leave as soon as we can."

Dazed, Luke nodded, wondering what all of the fuss was about. He barely understood or processed anything that Old Ben had said. Something about the emperor? He felt like he was living in a dream—no, a nightmare.

Luke threw a few of his things into a pack, and then hurried to go back outside. He passed his aunt and uncle in the kitchen. They were standing over in a corner, talking in low voices. His uncle glared at him when he approached to say goodbye, so he backed away and headed through the door.

Old Ben was waiting outside, and Luke was surprised to see that he was holding some kind of weapon in his hand. When he saw Luke he appeared relieved. "Come, Luke, follow me."

oooooooooo

Obi-Wan waited for Luke to ask questions, but to his surprise, the boy was silent. So far, there had been no sign of either Emperor Vader or any of his troops. He was torn between being relieved and worried. He had thought, all things considered, that Vader would have been right on their tail.

Apparently, he had been wrong. Obi-Wan tried to think clearly as he hurried Luke through the night to his small home. Obviously, they would have to find someone to take them off-world. Staying on Tatooine was not an option. Trying to out-fly and outwit the Executor did not seem like a very good plan, either, however. They would need a diversion of some sort…

oooooooooo

Luke's thoughts were slowly moving out of a state of shock and were beginning to function again. He tried to replay everything that had happened earlier that day in his mind, but some parts were foggy and hard to remember. He had gone to Mos Eisley…he had bought parts for the droid…he'd been followed…

Everything after that was slightly muddled. A man in a dark cloak, asking him questions, someone stepping up to protect him, a crowd gathering, a Wookie flying through the air, screams, blaster shots, and then… running… running… Vaguely, he recalled that Ben had found him somewhere in the desert. His astonishment that a man that old had run that far was overrun by his growing suspicion that Ben was not quite like other old men.

It was the conversation that Ben had had with his uncle that was the haziest. He'd recalled someone saying that they would have to leave…then something about the emperor…

Suddenly something inside Luke's mind clicked. "You mean that man I met in Mos Eisley…that was _actually_ the emperor?"

Ben turned and looked at him as if he were surprised Luke had spoken up. "Why, yes… I thought you knew. I told your uncle that he…"

Luke could feel the heat rising to his face. "Sorry," he muttered, "I wasn't thinking clearly…I didn't connect—" He stopped suddenly as a wash of realization and anger overtook him. "That was the man that killed my father!"

Old Ben looked at him solemnly. "Do not hate the man for what he has done, Luke. Rather, find it in your heart to forgive him and even, perhaps, pity him. He was not always what he is now."

But Luke appeared not to hear him. "I shouldn't have run. I should have…have…"

"Have gotten yourself taken captive, imprisoned? This man is _dangerous_ Luke. He knows who you are and he wants to convert you to _his _way of thinking. What you did was the only smart thing to do. You are not ready to face him yet."

Luke frowned at him. "What do you mean, he knows who I am?"

There was a slight, almost indiscernible pause, which Old Ben hastily filled. "The son of a Jedi. He knows that you are force sensitive."

"Then why doesn't he want me dead?" Luke demanded.

"You are valuable. You could help the Empire, I suspect. There are always two Sith, and Lord Vader will need an apprentice."

"Sith?"

Old Ben sighed. "Another lesson for another day, Luke. For now, we must focus on the present and find a way to escape. Ah, here we are." They had finally arrived at the top of the dune that led down to Ben's house. It was a good thing, too, Luke thought…his legs were beginning to ache from sheer exhaustion.

oooooooooo

"Shouldn't we hurry, dear?" Beru asked, peering worriedly out of the small slit that served as a window. Her things were packed in a small bag that sat on the chair beside her. Owen, however, was moving around in another room. She could hear him shuffling around and bumping into things.

Beru sighed as her question went unanswered. She knew that Owen didn't want to leave, and he could be very stubborn when he wanted to be. Right now, she could tell, he was taking his time packing, occasionally knocking things over to make it sound like he was doing something. She knew better. After another moment, she went to go talk to him.

Owen didn't look up when Beru entered the room. She glanced over at his pack and noticed immediately that only two things were in it. Frowning, she went over to stand beside him. "Owen, dear…I know it's hard for you to leave this place behind…but it's our only chance. Maybe we can come back when it's safe." She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, which he shrugged off.

"Maybe we could," he muttered, "But it won't be here when we do. They'll burn this place to the ground."

Beru ran a soothing hand through his hair and turned him to face her. "They might, but they might not. Vader may not be so eager to destroy the home of his mother…and his son."

"It might not be Vader who comes."

"It will be." Beru said with certainty. "He will not risk losing his son. Not again."

Owen pulled away roughly and crossed the room. "It's all that damned Jedi's fault. If he hadn't brought Luke here in the first place…if he hadn't _stayed_ afterward… none of this ever would have happened."

"Owen…"

He turned to face Beru, looked at her pleading face, and then sighed. "I'm sorry, Beru…it's just that, we worked so _hard_ for this farm. And now, because of some crazy old man and his ambitious former apprentice, we're going to lose it all. It just doesn't seem…_right_."

"I know." She leaned against him, falling into his embrace. "But it's either leave now, while we can, or stay here and die."

There was a slight pause, and then Owen gently pushed her away. "You're right. It's not fair of me to put you in danger. Let me get my things, and then we'll leave. I'll be as fast as I can."

Beru nodded, pecked him on the cheek, and then went back into the dining room to wait. Four minutes later he emerged with his things. She smiled and gathered her pack, and then the two hurried outside into the cool night air.

Moments later they were both shot in the back by imperial soldiers.

* * *

(A/N: Aww... and for just a moment, you almost thought they'd escape... Well, more about what happened in the next chapter. Also more with Han, unless the chapter runs too long and it gets pushed over into chapter Six. Thank you for reading! Please leave comments. ;) ) 

Hilary

(PS- My birthday was just a few days ago... I'm officially 17 :)


	5. Chapter 5

(A/N: Wow… I'm really sorry about the long wait! I've been busy, but _still_…I should have updated a long, long time ago. Sorry again for the inconvenience! Hopefully next time the wait won't be as long--but I'm not going to make any promises, considering what happened last time I did. Still, I think I can safely say it won't quite take three weeks… I'll try to update at least once a week. _Try _is a key word there. I tend to be forgetful sometimes ((winces)) but I'll certainly do my best!

One reason it's a little bit late is also because won't let me upload documents anymore for some reason. But I was smart. I outwitted it. :D I exported chapter four, deleted the contents, and pasted in chapter five. Take that, faulty document manager!!)

* * *

Chapter Five:

Luke collapsed in relief on one of the plain wooden chairs inside Old Ben's home. The dull ache in his legs was beginning to grow into a sharper, more intense pain. He could feel his legs seizing up underneath him. True, he was used to walking long distances on average, but nothing like _this_. He felt like he'd been walking all day.

He noticed Ben watching him with a slight frown on his face. Luke couldn't help but send him a slight glare--The old man didn't look tired or achy at all! Ben just sighed and began setting out simple but durable earthen plates. Luke watched him, still trying to come to terms with everything that had happened. His mind didn't seem to want to take it all in--it was _impossible_! Yesterday he had been just plain Luke, with dull prospects for the future and a bossy, overbearing uncle. Now…now he wasn't sure. If he couldn't stay at home, where was he going to go?

As if sensing what Luke was thinking about, Ben spoke. "In the morning we will leave once more for Mos Eisley. From there, we are going to find someone to take us to Alderaan." He rummaged through the cupboards and brought out plain, nonperishable foodstuffs. Luke didn't mind what he ate--now that he was off his feet, he realized how hungry he was.

"Alderaan? Any particular reason?" He asked through a mouthful of food. Ben didn't answer for a moment. He appeared hesitant.

"I have a few contacts there who might be willing to help us." He finally told Luke, watching him anxiously.

"What's wrong?"

Old Ben shook his head. "It's going to be very hard to hide you from the empire now that they know of your existence. I'm almost worried about going to Alderaan, in case of getting my… friends…in trouble as well. Notice from the Empire won't bode well for them, either. However, it's the only place I can think of to go on such short notice."  
"I've never been off of Tatooine before. Is Alderaan nice? My friend Biggs said that it was beautiful."

"It is. It's also a very peaceful, quiet planet. I think you'll like it there."

They ate on in silence for a while before Luke finally asked a question that had been weighing on his mind ever since they left his home. "Do you think my aunt and uncle are all right?"

oooooooooo

Owen groaned as he regained consciousness. There was a dull throb in the back of his head and a searing pain in his shoulder. He tried to move, but found he could not. Frantically, he tried to recall where he was and what had happened to him.

The last thing he remembered was hurrying off across the sands of Tatooine with Beru. Beru! Owen tried once more to sit up, but his body wasn't responding. As he struggled, he became aware of someone watching him. "Who's there? Where's my wife?" He managed to gasp out. His facial muscles were all working now, and his neck was beginning to respond as well. He could only hope that the rest of his body would shortly follow.

There was a small pause after his questions, and then a figure stepped forward from the dark recesses of the room. "Your wife is in the next room. If you cooperate with my questions, we'll return both you and your wife safely to your farm. It is not you we are after." The voice was dark and emotionless, and Owen thought he might know who he was talking to.

"You are… Emperor Vader?" He demanded, beginning to hope. "You will let us go?"

"Yes to both, but only if you cooperate." The figure drew closer. "Where is my son? Why was he not with you?"

Owen paused for a moment, struggling with his emotions. "You are not going to hurt him? He will live?"

"Of course he will live, he's my son." The voice had become considerably darker and more threatening. "Now, tell me where he has gone."

"I'm not…quite sure." Owen admitted. "The crazy Jedi took him somewhere. Most likely to his house. After that, he was planning on leaving Tatooine." His tone grew bitter as he reflected on this. Apparently, only _Luke _had been important enough to save from the empire. _They_ were left to fend for themselves. A small voice in the back of his mind whispered that he was not being fair, and that Kenobi had warned them to leave as soon as possible. Owen angrily pushed it away.

"A Jedi? Which…" there was a slight intake of air. "Obi-wan. I should have known." The emperor murmured something else that Owen did not quite catch. "You said that this Jedi took my son back to his house?"

"I'm not quite sure about--"

"Where does he live?" Vader demanded. Owen gave him the best directions that he could. He heard them repeated into a com link and could only assume that they were scouting out the area. "Now…" Vader hesitated for a moment, "What is my son like? Does he know anything of the force?"

"No, not that I know of. My wife and I brought him up…the Jedi had no part in his upbringing. He's had the best education we could give him, and he's been helpful around the farm, but that's it." Owen gained confidence as he realized that he could feel his arms and upper chest again.

"And what does he know about me?"

Owen swallowed. "N-nothing. We told him his father was a navigator. He's had no reason to think otherwise."

"Very well then, I believe that will be all. Unless you know where Kenobi plans on taking him after they leave Tatooine? No, I thought not. That will be of no matter, anyway…we'll catch them before then."

Owen breathed a sigh of relief and, slowly, sat up. He still couldn't feel his legs from the waist down, however. "Then…My lord, you said that you will allow us to return to our farm?" He inquired.

Vader was silent. He was facing the doors, and appeared to be waiting for something. "My wife," Owen managed shakily, "You…you will not kill her?"

Finally, he received an answer. "No," Owen started to relax, but Vader continued, "It is not possible to kill someone who is already dead."

Icy water seemed to have replaced the blood in Owen's veins. His voice rose, becoming frantic. "But--But you said she was alive! She was in the next room!"

"I lied." Stormtroopers were filling the doorway now, filing into the room. "But there's no need to fret, Lars…You will be joining her shortly." Vader's voice became distant as he exited into the hallway beyond. Owen, however, could still him give the order,

"Kill him."

There was a flash of blaster beams, then everything went dark.

oooooooooo

Obi-wan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "If they left right after we did, they'll be fine." He answered cautiously.

"And if they didn't?" Luke asked. When he didn't respond right away, the boy continued, "They're dead, aren't they?" His voice broke slightly. He had not been close with his uncle, but he had still respected him. And his aunt was one of the sweetest people he knew. They had _raised _him…he couldn't imagine them not being there.

"You can't be sure of that, Luke," Obi-Wan told him gently, attempting to soothe him, "They very well might have gotten away. The empire is interested in you, not them…it's possible that, even if they stayed, they will be allowed to live." Luke picked his head up and met Obi-wan's gaze, giving him a look that said quite clearly, _You're only trying to comfort me. Don't._ Obi-wan was slightly startled. It was not a look he had associated with Luke thus far…in fact, it reminded him much more of Luke's father. _Anakin_… Obi-wan stood and pushed back his chair. "Come with me, Luke…It's about time I show you something."

Luke stood reluctantly, wincing from the pain in his legs. They were very stiff, and he was having trouble walking. Obi-wan looked concerned, but said nothing. Luke followed him into the small bedroom in the back of the house. Curiously, he watched as Obi-wan knelt before a chest in the corner of the room and unlocked it. There was not much inside. The former Jedi removed one of the objects and then closed the chest again, relocking it.

Confused, Luke eyed the small metal cylinder. He opened his mouth to ask about it, but at that moment Kenobi ignited the weapon and the question died on his lips. "This was your father's," Obi-wan informed him. He thumbed the button on the hilt again and the glowing blade disappeared. Then he flipped the hilt over in his palm and held it out to Luke, "It is now yours. If you choose to pursue the way of the Jedi, as he did, then I will help you with your training." Luke took the weapon, an expression of awe on his young face.

"_I_ could become a Jedi?" he whispered, looking hopefully up at Obi-wan. "But isn't that illegal or something?"

"You certainly wouldn't want to flaunt it," Obi-wan told him, amused, "But if you become good enough, you'd be an invaluable asset to the rebel cause. Perhaps one day you will even live to see a Jedi Academy again. For now, however, it will help you defend yourself against the empire. Will you accept my training?"

Luke grinned eagerly, "Can we start now?"

"We certainly can. Sit, Luke, and I'll teach you how to feel the force around you. You probably have already without even knowing what it was. And don't look at me like that," he added, amused as Luke pulled a face. It was obvious he had thought they would start with lightsaber training. "Patience, Luke. This was not your father's favorite pastime either, but _unfortunately_ it is essential. Using that weapon is not a good idea until you understand the Force. You wouldn't want to cut your arm off before you even begin, now would you?" He smiled as Luke sheepishly sat down beside him. "Now, reach out with your mind…"

oooooooooo

The landspeeders pulled to a stop at the top of the sand dune. Down in the small valley that had occurred naturally in the sand over time there was a tiny, plain house, surrounded on the other side by a jagged cliff. Vader smiled slightly--his master's presence was strong here…and there was also another present, from what the Force was telling him.

Vader ordered the troopers to stay circled around the small home up on the dunes, and he moved down to the house by himself. There was no need for clumsy stormtroopers here--they would only get in the way. Or worse, they might injure his son. No, it was best he went by himself. Lord Vader could handle an old man and a boy quite easily.

oooooooooo

Obi-wan jerked up from the meditation state. He had been so focused on teaching Luke that he hadn't sensed the growing darkness. It was difficult to tell at some times where Vader was when he was on the same planet, but there was no doubt now. "Luke!"

The boy jumped, startled. "What is it? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, of course not." Obi-wan was now quickly rummaging in the storage chest. "Here," he said, handing Luke a wad of over six hundred credits, "Take this and get out of here. There is a back exit that I rarely use--take that and run straight up beyond the cliff that's behind this house. I have an old speeder hidden in the rocks there. Go directly to Mos Eisley and get someone to take you to Alderaan. Sell the speeder if you need more money."

Luke stared at him, uncomprehending. "But I thought we were waiting until morning. I'm too tired to go now…I can barely walk."

"Yes, that's right," Obi-wan frowned and lightly touched Luke's shoulder. "I was never much of a healer, and it's been a while since I've done anything like this… but I fancy I can still heal stiff legs." There was a moment of silence as he closed his eyes, and suddenly Luke felt the tension in his legs go away.

"Wow! Will I be able to do that when I'm a Jedi?" He asked excitedly.

"Yes, of course Luke. Now hurry--he's almost here. This way." Obi-wan directed Luke to the back exit and opened it for the boy.

"Wait, who's almost here?" Luke inquired, confused. When Obi-wan hesitated, his eyes widened. "You don't mean… Vader is _here_? _Now?_ But then why aren't you going to come with me? He'll kill you--oh." Luke stared at his new friend.

"Yes, Luke. I'll stay here and hold him off for as long as I can. You _must_ escape! The future of the Jedi order is dependent on you. I am old, and now it is time for me to join with the Force. Go to Alderaan, Luke…and if you wish to pursue the way of the Jedi, find a way to get to the Dagobah system. Now hurry, Luke, you don't have much time." Before Luke could protest any further, Obi-wan gave him a slight push out of the door. Luke stood in the shadows behind the house for a moment, clutching the money Old Ben had given him and the few things he had brought from his house.

He started to take a step out into the night when a crash echoed from behind him. Luke whirled around, the blood draining from his face. Lord Vader was inside the house now. What was Ben doing? How could he hold off the Emperor alone? Luke stared at the door desperately. _What was _he_ doing?_ _Was he just going to abandon Ben like that?_ No. He went back to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. Luke frowned--no matter, he would just go around the other way…

He started to move again, but once again came to a halt. What help would he be? Did he honestly think he could fend off Lord Vader? No…he was being stupid. Ben had won him some time, had sacrificed himself so that Luke could get away, and now was he just going to make Ben's sacrifice meaningless?

Luke shook his head. He had to find the hidden speeder and get away. Quickly and quietly he made his way over to the small cliff, trying not to think about whether Old Ben was still alive or not. He had to focus on the task at hand. He analyzed the cliff--it was more of a rocky ledge, and one that he thought he could scale easily. Luke made up his mind and placed a hand on the stony wall, hoisting himself up.

oooooooooo

After he closed the door behind Luke, Obi-wan turned and headed back into the first room in the house. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and connecting himself with the force. The darkness felt so close that it was almost suffocating him. He forced his breathing to be even, reaching for his lightsaber.

His hand paused in mid-air. No…it wouldn't do to simply attack the Emperor the moment he entered the door. He hadn't seen Anakin in years. Obi-wan smiled sadly. He would like to talk to his old apprentice once more, before…

Obi-wan held no delusions about how this meeting would end. He was not as powerful a warrior as he'd once been, even with his deep force connection, and Lord Vader hated him. Still, perhaps he would be able to speak with the Sith lord before he was killed…anything to gain Luke more time to escape.

Slowly, he lowered himself into one of the chairs. A split second later, a red lightsaber pierced the door and began slicing it from the frame. A small smile appeared on Obi-wan's face. The door had been completely unlocked. Trust Anakin to not try the doorknob, first. In a moment the door was cut completely from its hinges and fell with a crash to the ground.

Obi-wan looked on his former apprentice for the first time since that fateful day when he had stabbed him on Mustafar. Their eyes locked.

"Hello, Obi-wan. It's been a long time. Far, far too long." The red lightsaber ignited and the Emperor advanced on his old master.

oooooooooo

Luke paused in his climbing, sweat beading on his forehead. The ledge had been steeper than he'd originally thought.

His belongings and money were all shoved in his pack, which he held with his teeth. Steeling himself, he continued to struggle up the cliff face, feeling for small outcroppings to use as handholds.

He paused again only a moment later when he heard a shout from behind him. It wasn't Old Ben's voice, but nor did he think it was Lord Vader's. Luke twisted his head around to look, and instantly the color drained from his face.

_Blast, was _he_ in trouble!_ Ten stormtroopers were gathered near the front of Ben's house, and one had spotted him. Luke scrambled up the cliff face faster than ever. For some reason, the troopers weren't shooting yet. They seemed to be arguing about something. He was nearly there, however, when the voices stopped. There was the unmistakable sound of a blaster being fired, and then he was falling… falling…

* * *

(A/N: Whoo-hoo! That took forever. Sorry about taking so long, everyone, but for some reason this was a hard chapter to write. This ended up a kind of transition chapter, instead of the chapter I _thought _it was going to be… which is, by the way, the _next _chapter. That one should actually be fun to write.

Lol… I seem to like people _almost_ getting away, don't I? Poor Luke. He was so close, too.

So, anyway, more action in the next chapter. The Vader/Obi-wan meeting will be completed in there. As for the rest, I'll let you wait and find out! ;) Please leave a review if you want to a.) Get me to update soon, b.) Tell me you liked it, c.) Tell me you hated it (and why) d.) Ramble on about some random topic or another. I like those reviews :D

Hilary


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